Fire Acquire Midfielder Jeff Larentowicz from Colorado Rapids

CHICAGO, Ill. (Jan. 16, 2013) – The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced Wednesday that the club has acquired Jeff Larentowicz and the 30th selection in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft from the Colorado Rapids in exchange for the Fire’s 11th pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, allocation money and a 2013 international slot. Per team and MLS policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Jeff is a hard-nosed player who has consistently been one of the best midfielders in MLS,” said Fire President of Soccer Operations Javier Leon. “His MLS Cup and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship pedigree will be a welcome addition to our squad.”

Larentowicz, along with current Fire midfielder Wells Thompson, joined the Rapids in 2010 in a trade that sent recently-retired Fire defender Cory Gibbs to the New England Revolution.

The Philadelphia product started all but one of the 96 regular season matches in which he appeared for the Rapids, scoring 14 goals and tallying 2 assists across three seasons. In 2010 Larentowicz appeared in all 30 regular season matches and all four of the postseason matches en route to a 2-1 MLS Cup victory over FC Dallas.

Selected by the Revolution in the fourth round (45th overall) in the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft, Larentowicz made 111 regular season appearances for the Revolution from 2005-2009. The Revolution reached MLS Cup in his first three seasons with the side. Larentowicz entered the match in the 111th minute in 2006 and started in 2007 as the Revs fell to the Houston Dynamo both times.

A four-time All-Ivy standout at Brown University, Larentowicz finished his collegiate career with seven goals and six assists in 66 collegiate appearances, helping Brown capture two Ivy League Championships.

Larentowicz made his first appearance for the United States on Jan. 22, 2011 when he started against Chile in an international friendly at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Larentowicz, who was invited to the annual January camp for three consecutive years from 2010-2012, has been capped four times for the U.S.

Chicago Fire Season Tickets and #cf97withdrawals Winter Packs, which give fans the opportunity to witness the Men in Red in action on Opening Day while donning the four Fire hats and four pairs of Fire gloves included in the pack, are available by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE, via Ticketmaster or by heading to the club’s official website at www.Chicago-Fire.com.